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Jimmy Smith

I notice something on various Jimmy Smith CDs and on a reel to reel I listen to that is unpleasant. When he plays his organ there is often what sounds like severe distortion. This happens during loud or soft points, but more often at loud points in the music. Is this just the way his organ sounded or are the recordings flawed? I can't imagine that all of these recordings just happen to be flawed.

If this is just the way his organ sounded, was he trying to get that sound or was there some other, uncontrollable factor? Has anyone here seen him live that can confirm wether the nasties are or aren't an artifact of the recording?
ketchup
tubemiser's avatar
tubemiser
98 posts
 
Tomryan - I found this bit of interesting info in the liner notes.

"Jimmy employs the organ's ability for varied sounds where as he signals the end of George's (G.Coleman,sax) stint by simulating a musical buzzer. He does the same in Morgan's portion but Lee is cooking so hard, he runs through the insistent stop-tone for another chorus"

Happy Listening !
tubemiser's avatar
tubemiser
98 posts
 
Sorry, but forgot to mention that this "musical buzzer" Jimmy employs is on the second cut "J.O.S." on the Sermon album.
tomryan
796 posts
 
Listened last night and also listended to "Root Down", an early 70s live recording on Verve that is, as were the times, quite funky. Also got around to reading the liner notes. What great music.
tubemiser's avatar
tubemiser
98 posts
 
Another great B-3 organist is Shirley Scott. "Queen of the Organ" Memorial Album on the Prestige label. She was married to Stanley Turrentine and does couple of cuts with him on the album.
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